U.S. Patent Publication No. 20090324883 to Gray et al. describes self-supporting extendable materials that are capable of extending rigidly a certain distance without coiling or curling onto themselves, or coiling or curling prematurely onto a receiving substrate. The application describes the manufacture of materials into sheets and/or rolls. In one embodiment, the application describes the use of these self-extendable materials in pressure-sensitive tape applications, for example masking tape and medical tape, which allows the tape to maintain its flexibility, pliability, and ability to conform to the surface to which it may be applied to without coiling or curling onto itself when dispensed from a roll.
According to U.S. Patent Publication No. 20090324883, one method for imparting to a material the ability to extend rigidly comprises constructing a laminate material having a backing and a shrink film, wherein heat is applied to the composite resulting in the contraction or shrinking of the shrink film along a single axis. The differential and directional contraction of the shrink film with respect to the backing material imparts a curvature along the longitudinal width of the composite material which accounts for its self-supporting extendable characteristics.
U.S. application Ser. No. 13/175,024 and PCT/US 11/42780 to Gray et al. describe nasal dilators comprised of a composite base element having a spring element that imparts resiliency into the base element and provides the base element with return properties towards a planar conformation during use. The Gray et al. applications describe a base element that includes a shrink material, which, upon heating, creates the spring element within the base element, imparting the resiliency into the base element. In one embodiment, the base element is comprised of a backing material laminated to a shrink film, wherein the shrink film shrinks or contracts upon heating, creating the spring element.
U.S. Publication No. 20080131634 to Kiuchi et al describes a self-rolling laminated sheet comprising a shrinkable film layer which is contractible in a longitudinal direction when exposed to heat. As described, the sheet rolls up in a longitudinal direction from a longitudinal end to form one tubular roll or rolls up from two opposing longitudinal ends toward a center of the two opposing longitudinal ends to form two tubular rolls, when the self-rolling sheet is stimulated to induce the contraction of the shrinkable film layer. According to the disclosure, the purpose of the self-rolling laminate is to allow the easy removal of the sheet from a fragile adherend such as a computer chip without causing damage to or a contamination on the adherend.